Colour and variety

Missed my Blog last week. School holidays and building works at home make for an even more hectic time than usual. Gardening is still happening and it is most definitely my break from all that the rest of my life entails!

Heale this week was more than beautiful. Peaceful digging whilst listening to the River trickle on past. A grey Heron taking off when I disturbed it first thing in the morning. Bank Voles sneaking past us (almost banging a drum and telling their family to follow on behind).

Lots to crop at the moment and it is my favourite time in the veg garden. Courgettes, Salad, Carrots, Radishes, Pak Choi, Beans (so fine they look almost translucent), Oh and the beauty that is a baby baby baby Melon  -Cucamelon -Melothria scabra. What a glorious little thing? Best eaten at the size of an Olive, Zingy and zesty and refreshing, the Cucamelon is such a cutie.

 We also cropped the last of the Blackcurrants, so ripe they fell from the heavy branches as we picked and left their juice all over us.

Sweet peas are still coming unbelievably, so strong with immensely long stems.

We spent a lot of time working in the borders this week too. Cutting back, dead heading, trimming Hostas and Ferns. Cutting back Astrantia, Stachys and summer pruning fruit, rewarding work, instant hit of clean lines and fresh plants.

Although the garden is bursting with life, Veronicastrum, Echinops, Magnolia's all over the place, Gladioli, Sunflowers, Ipomoea, fruit bursting and ready to eat, my plant of the week is the purple climbing French Bean! It has such delicate Beans which grow green, then morph into purple, then back to green when cooked. I want to try 'Purple Cascade' which apparently keeps it's colour once cooked. Such a shame to only have the colour on the plant. A glut of them meant a taste test this evening. My eldest thought they were the best. I quite agree.